Table 1. Randomised trials of chemotherapy with RT vs RT alone in locally advanced NPC.
| Author and year | No. of pts. | Treatment arms |
|---|---|---|
| Neoadjuvant chemotherapy+RT vs RT alone | ||
| VUMCA (1996) | a: 171 | a: B 15 mg D1, 12 mg m−2 d−1 D1–5, E 70 mg m−2 D1, and P 100 mg m−2 D1 every 21 days × 3 → RT |
| b: 168 | b: RT | |
| Hareyama et al (2002) | a: 40 | a: P 80 mg m−2 D1 and F 800 mg m−2 d−1 D2–5 every 21days × 2 → RT |
| b: 40 | b: RT | |
| Chua et al (1998) | a: 167 | a: P 60 mg m−2 D1 and E 110 mg m−2 D1 every 21 days × 2–3 → RT |
| b: 167 | b: RT | |
| Ma et al (2001) | a: 224 | a: P 100 mg m−2 D1, B 10 mg m−2 D1 and 5, and F 800 mg m−2 d−1 D1–5 every 21 days × 2–3 → RT |
| b: 225 | b: RT | |
| Concurrent chemotherapy+RT vs RT alone | ||
| Lin et al (2003) | a; 141 | a: P 20 mg m−2 d−1 D1–4 and F 800 mg m−2 d−1 D1–4 on weeks 1, 5+RT |
| b: 143 | b: RT | |
| Chan et al (2002, 2004) | a: 174 | a: P 40 mg m−2 weekly+RT |
| b: 176 | b: RT | |
| Adjuvant chemotherapy+RT vs RT alone | ||
| Rossi et al (1988) | a: 113 | a: RT → V 1.2 mg m−2 D1, C 200 mg m−2 d−1 D1–4, and A 40 mg m−2 D1 every 28 days × 6 |
| b: 116 | b: RT | |
| Chi et al (2002) | a: 77 | a: RT → P 20 mg m−2 D1, F 2200 mg m−2 D1, and L 120 mg m−2 D1 weekly × 9 |
| b: 77 | b: RT | |
| Neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy+RT vs RT alone | ||
| Chan et al (1995) | a: 37 | a: P 100 mg m−2 D1 and F 1000 mg m−2 d−1 D2–4 every 21 days × 2 → RT → P 100 mg m−2 D1 and F 1000 mg m−2 d−1 D2–4 every 21 days × 4 |
| b: 40 | b: RT | |
| Concurrent and adjuvant chemotherapy+RT vs RT alone | ||
| Al-Sarraf et al (1998, 2001) | a: 93 | a: P 100 mg m−2 D1, 22, 43+RT → P 80 mg m−2 D1 and F 1000 mg m−2 d−1 D1–4 weeks 11, 15, 19 |
| b: 92 | b: RT | |
| Wee et al (2004) | a: 111 | a: P 25 mg m−2 d−1 D1–4 weeks 1, 4, 7+RT → P 20 mg m−2 d−1 D1–4 and F 1000 mg m−2 d−1 D1–4 weeks 11, 15, 19 |
| b: 109 | b: RT | |
| Lee et al (2004) | a: 172 | a: P 100 mg m−2 D1, 22, 43+RT → P 80 mg m−2 D1 and F 1000 mg m−2 d−1 D1–4 weeks 11, 15, 19 |
| b: 176 | b: RT | |
| Kwong et al (2004) | a1: 57 | a1: UFT 600 mg d−1+RT → P 100 mg m−2 D1 and F 1000 mg m−2 d−1 D1–3 alternating with V 2 mg, B 30 mg, and M 150 mg m−2 every 21 days × 6 |
| a2: 53 | a2: UFT 600 mg d−1+RT | |
| a3: 54 | a3: RT → P 100 mg m−2 D1 and F 1000 mg m−2 d−1 D1–3 alternating with V 2 mg, B 30 mg, and M 150 mg m−2 every 21 days × 6 | |
| b: 55 | b: RT | |
NPC=nasopharyngeal carcinoma; RT=radiotherapy; P=cisplatin; F=fluorouracil; B=bleomycin; E=epirubicin; V=vincristine; C=cyclophosphamide; A=adriamycin; L=leucovorin; M=methotrexate; UFT=uracil–tegafur; a(a1, a2, a3)=combined therapy arm; b=radiotherapy alone arm; d=day; D=day; pts.=patients.